TIB Proposal

Natalie Liebenauer

Dr. Shutkin

ED 100

20 November 2015

TIB Proposal

I believe that technology currently plays a major role in the educational world. It has become a way for teachers to integrate lessons in their classroom in a way that is fun and interesting for the students. Often times teachers find it difficult to try and keep their students engaged in a lesson that they do not find interesting. Some will turn to technology because it is something most children nowadays are very familiar with. Since many teenagers and even young children have become so use to using technology on a daily basis, integrating it into a lesson in the classroom can allow students to become creative and use it in a way that allows them to express themselves.

If teachers believe that technology can help their students learn, they will be more open to using it in their classrooms. This does not mean that the students will “learn” from technology, but rather that it will be used to provide the tools for authentic learning. It allows teachers to move away from streamlining the way things have always been to imagining things in a way that appeals to them and their students. As helpful as technology can be in the classroom, it can also be a problem when abused and not used in the way it was intended for.

Sometimes when teachers allow their students to use the internet for research in class, the students will take advantage of this and use the internet for other things and not even get the assignment done. It is very easy for the students to get distracted when given freedom to use technology. Since this can be a big problem with technology in classrooms, I think it is important for teachers to be able to monitor what the students are looking up. This may seem like an invasion of privacy, but when teachers want to use the internet in a way that is beneficial to the students, it is important they are getting whatever was assigned done.

It is also very important that teachers do not become dependent on technology. It should not be used as a way for the teacher to not have to teach that day or to take up time. I know often times in my classrooms in middle school and high school, the teacher would have us play a game or watch a movie that sometimes had nothing to do with what we were learning, but it was a way for them to get done whatever they needed to and it kept us occupied during their class period. Using technology in this way is not helpful to the students and may even cause them to become disengaged in the class.

Many grade schools and high schools now have laptops and iPads that the students are able to use during class periods. In classrooms that I observed, students are being introduced to technology as early as kindergarten and this can be a problem. At that age, there really is nothing that a student that young should be using technology for. It usually is for them to play games, but there are so many games that teachers have in their classrooms already that allowing them to play on iPads is not beneficial to them. This contributes to the problem of young teens becoming very dependent on technology because they are so used to having it at their disposal at all times, inside and out of school.

Summative FieldBlog Post

During my field experiences, I learned a lot. I was able to go into an elementary school classroom and see what it is like. My experience at Gesu allowed me to engage with the kindergarteners and see what their daily classroom routine is like. Although I really enjoyed working with these young children, I decided I wouldn't want to be a kindergarten teacher but it was still great to have the little experience that I did with this age group. I enjoyed seeing how excited they would get about new activities that the teacher had planned for them that day. They were very cooperative when working with one another and for the most part respected their classmates. I always looked forward to going to Gesu because of how excited the children were to see me when I arrived. It made me realize how rewarding being a teacher can be. The students really look up to you and see you as their role model so it is important to have a positive impact on them. Having a good relationship with your students is also important because teachers must realize that each student learns differently and certain methods will work with different students. Knowing and understanding this will make the learning process easier for the teacher. This truly was an overall great learning experience and made me even more excited to become an elementary school teacher someday.

BlogPost 10

Throughout my experience in this class, I have learned many important points and issues in education. Being a great teacher means having a passion for children and wanting to help them succeed in any way they can. It means having a strong relationship with your students and letting them know you are on the same level as them and are approachable. Sometimes students feel like they are unable to talk to their teacher about issues they are having. This leads to problems in the classroom that the teacher is unaware of. Through my field experience, I learned how flexible teachers must be because things don't always go as planned and that's an important aspect of teaching to recognize. The field experience also gave me that recognition that I am pursuing the right career. Being able to observe an elementary school assured that it was exactly what I wanted to do because of my love for children. It also was great to already experience what an elementary school is like on a daily basis and what types of classes the students are taking and engaged in. I have learned how important it is for teachers to realize that they are able to learn from their students. It drives the students to want to share more information they know with their teacher because the teacher isn't always aware of the things they are telling them. Students also should not be made to conform to ways they are unaware of. They should have the freedom to be whoever they choose in the classroom and not fear that other people will judge them and not accept them. Students should learn at a young age how important it really is to be accepting of everyone and most importantly, of their classmates. The classroom should be an open and positive learning environment. This is the type of classroom I hope to create when I become a teacher.

Annotated Bibliography

Natalie Liebenauer

Dr. Shutkin

ED 100

10 November 2015

Schrum, Lynn. "Technology as a Tool to Support Instruction." Education World.

    N.p., 24 Jan. 2000. Web. 7 Nov. 2015. Technology can be used to help

    students explore but first it must be valued to both teaching and learning.

    Teachers must be part of the technology planning. It can help enhance a

    lesson the teacher is teaching but teachers should not solely rely on

    technology to do the work for them. They students shouldn't spend whole

    class periods on the computer doing a project, allowing the teacher to not

    even have to teach them. When it is used in a way that is beneficial to the

    students and what they are learning, technology can be a really great

    thing. I could use this reference in my article to help explain the

    positive aspects of technology and how helpful it can be in the classroom

    when used in an effective way.

Scherer, Marge. "Transforming Education with Technology." ascd.org. ASCD, Feb.

    2011. Web. 8 Nov. 2015. In this article, a lady, Karen Cator, was being

    interviewed about how technology is used in the classroom and how it can

    affect the students both positively and sometimes negatively. Technology

allows for student choice. It meets students interests and allows them to  

present information in a way that suits them. They can be as creative as they like.

Engagement is also important. I will use this to explain how students should be interacting  with their teachers and technology shouldn't be relied on as a way for the

teacher to not have to teach a lesson that day. It allows teachers to

create compelling activities that require students to read a lot and think

deeply.

Restuccia, Danielle. "Effects of Technology on Classrooms and Students."

    teacherinformation.org. N.p., n.d. Web. 8 Nov. 2015. The U.S.

    department of engagement saw an increase in students' classroom engagement.

    Students were motivated to learn because they saw their computational

    skills could be applied to life outside of school. It was recorded that 65

    percent of educators saw a rise in student productivity. It can also

    benefit students by boosting their confidence. I will use this article in

    my paper to express what a positive impact the use of technology in the

    classroom had on the students. They suddenly were very eager to learn

    although the subjects they were learning hadn't changed. Technology also

    allowed the teachers to track the students growth and allowed the

    students to work at their own pace.

Cyr, Betty-Ann, Steven L. Berman, and Megan L. Smith. "The Role of Communication

    Technology in Adolescent." Child Youth Care Forum: n. pag. ERIC PlusText.

    Web. 8 Nov. 2015. Technology changes the way people interact with one

    another. Since technology has grown so much, it raises the question, how

    much technology is too much? A study was created to see what extent people

    used technology in their everyday lives. Although technology can be used in

    a positive way, it can influence interpersonal relationships. I can use

    this reference in my paper to show how technology isn't always used in a

    way that is beneficial to teenagers. It can be harmful to their health and

    lead to identity problems. This is not to say that technology is a bad

    thing, but people often overuse it and take advantage of what it should

     really be used for.

BlogPost 9

https://docs.google.com/a/jcu.edu/presentation/d/1rD1IHR5Fi8wqKzgBNO5KhMaOpzioNMnRuNW41mdWAuM/edit?usp=sharing

Gesu Visit 7

During my seventh visit at Gesu, the students had show and tell. They were very eager to share their drawings with the class and how explain why they made them and the thought they put into them. After show and tell, they watched the Veggie Tales which they were excited about. They were very attentive during the movie. They also had just come back from recess so I noticed that a movie was a good way to calm them down. It allowed the teacher and the teachers aid to get stuff done. Playing a movie that appeals to the students gets their attention. After this, the children went to the library. During story time, the librarian asked how the students felt when they received a new baby brother or sister if they were an only child. Most of them replied in a positive way and said they were happy and excited although some of them said they felt jealous. The story read to them was about a crocodile who got a baby brother and was very jealous of the attention he received. He felt like his mom payed more attention to his baby brother than she did to him. This related to the discussion the students had before the story. This was my last day at Gesu and I overall enjoyed my experience there. It gave me a glimpse of the what the teaching world is like and it was great to be able to have an experience like this so soon into my freshman year.

Gesu Visit 6

During my sixth visit to Gesu, they had music class. They played games that involved singing which they enjoyed. I noticed the teacher was very controlling in a way. She kept telling them what to do and what not to do. They also had to recite 4 rules before they played each game. The more the teacher told them what to do, the more they acted out. Showing your authority over the students doesn't guarantee they are going to listen to you. She also babied them in the way she spoke to them. I completely understand trying to speak in a way that they will understand and appeal to but you also have still be an adult and not completely talk down to them.  I have learned in ED 100 how important it is for your students to realize that they are on the same level as you. Towards the end of the day, the students created a fossil out of a mold. They were able to color it however they liked and they were very creative with this. 

Gesu Visit 5

During my fifth visit at Gesu, I went to the book fair with the children. They were able to create wish lists if they didn't have money today. These were books that they wanted to buy and they took the list home to show their parents what books they were interested in. They were all very excited and read their lists to their friends.They were very cooperative and it was interesting to see what kind of books caught their eyes. All the students had different taste in books. One of the girls was interested in dinosaur books and her classmates told her that she  liked "boy" books. This caught my eye because at such a young age, children form these ideas of what girls should like and what boys should like. This did not bother the little girl at all which I was surprised but was also very proud of. If at such a young age she learns to not let those kind of things bother her, it will make things a lot easier as she gets older. Too often, kids are made to feel like the things they are interested are wrong because of things such as gender norms and what our society views as acceptable and not acceptable. I can say for certain in my future classroom that I would never tell one of my students that what they like is "too girly" or "that's what boys like, you can't like that." They'll learn that they are free to be whoever they choose and society may not always be accepting, but you learn to deal with it. 

Gesu Visit 4

During my fourth visit at Gesu, I observed music class again because that's what class they have every Tuesday at the time that I visit. The class was different this week because the teacher was sick so the children watched a movie during class. It wasn't a video to just kill time and keep them occupied, it really incorporated music. During the movie, there were parts where it got the children involved and they had to sing along. They really enjoyed this. They payed attention the whole time and didn't get side tracked. The teacher appreciated their cooperation. When they got back to their classroom, they were allowed to play games if they were finished with the worksheet the teacher had assigned. I joined in with them and liked that I was able to get involved with them. Each day I spend at the school strengthens my passion for children and wanting to help them in any way possible. It's great seeing how much they look up to their teachers and what an influence they have on them. It inspires me to want to have just as much of a positive influence on my students someday. Being a teacher is such a rewarding job and I really look forward to becoming one. 

Gesu VIsit 3

During my third visit at Gesu, I was able to observe a Spanish class. I was really surprised that they were learning a different language at such a young age. I was unsure of how that would go and if that children would actually understand what their teacher was saying. Surprisingly, they knew a lot more than I expected. They were able to count to 5 in Spanish and even knew a few verbs. The teacher had a worksheet for them where they cut pictures out and put them next to the correct Spanish word. Most of the students did this correctly. It was often times hard for the teacher to get the students attention they didn't always know what she was saying. When they got back to their classroom, the teacher let them make paper airplanes because they were learning a lesson about air. The children were very excited to make them but most of them came to be for help when constructing them. They were allowed to color them and put pictures on them. One of the girls, Mari, drew a picture of me and said it was so she would always remember me. I was so touched by this because it was only my third day in the classroom and I could already tell what an impact I had on her. It made me very eager to teach and have my own classroom. 

Gesu Visit 2

During my second visit to Gesu, I was able to observe the children's library class. The librarian read them three Halloween books. The students really enjoyed the books she picked out for them and thought they were funny. She also informed them on the book fair they would be having the following week and hey were very excited about that. After library, the teacher had a lesson planned for them that involved the alphabet. They were learning sounds and had to find words that applied to those sounds. Some of the children found this very difficult and struggled. I tried to explain it to them and help them but found it was difficult to explain it because it was something I already knew. Sometimes when trying to teach a lesson on a topic you already know, it's hard to find the words to explain what you're trying to say and I found that to be my problem. I also observed that the teacher didn't always have patience with the students. I understood that it would definitely be a challenge working with children that young but it is something you have to have a passion for and be committed to doing. That is around the age that teachers have a huge impact on their students so I believe it is important that they are effecting them in a positive way and care for their students. Overall, I thought Mrs. Parisi was a very nice teacher and worked well with her students. 

Gesu Visit 1

I was assigned to do my field work at Gesu in one of the kindergarten classes. During my first visit, I met the teacher, Mrs. Parisi, and her aid. The children had music class that day so I was able to observe that. They were very well behaved and enjoyed singing with their teacher. They were assigned their own spaces on the carpet to sit at and that was where they sat when they sang and played classroom games. Their classroom teacher and music teacher got the children's attention by telling them they wouldn't explain the activities until all the students were quiet. It would only take a minute or two before they became quiet and listened to the teacher's instructions. They were very excited to have a new face in the classroom. I was able to work with the students and help them when needed. I noticed that when I would help one student, 5 more would approach me and say they needed help as well even though I could tell they had an idea of what to do. They were well mannered and respectful to their teacher and classmates. I really enjoyed working with the children and it reassured me that I have chosen the right profession. It also showed me that I wouldn't necessarily want to work with children as young as 5 years old but I still enjoy the early childhood setting. It was beneficial to be able to go in a early childhood classroom during my first semester of freshman year so I was able to see what it is like and if this was the major I wanted to pursue. It shows you what the teachers go through on a daily basis and that the job will not always be easy, but it is very rewarding knowing you're helping students grow and that is what is most important to me.

BlogPost 8

A lesson I would teach would be on the concept that standardized tests do not display a students intelligence. Yes, it is still important to try and do your best on these tests but they should not be used to measure how smart a student is or isn't. Some children aren't good test takers and should not be penalized because of it. I would explain to them that these tests do not define them. This is not to say that they shouldn't try their best to get a good score but if they don't receive one, it will not be shown against them. Instead of punishing students for receiving bad test scores, we should be figuring out what they aren't understanding and what needs to be taught better. Students should be given a chance to understand information instead of taking a test, receiving a bad grade, and that's it. This is teaching students that test scores define their intelligence and this often leads to them feeling bad about themselves and their accomplishments.
In Bill Ayers reading, he describes the metaphor building bridges. What this means is that the teacher builds off of knowledge and information the students already know, allowing them to learn deeper ways of knowing and understanding. The bridge pattern is understanding how to get from point A to point B. It allows the children to form questions and work together to find a perfect balance. In my lesson I would teach above, I would use the building bridges method to show my students that it is important to get good grades on tests but it does not define them. They could form questions on why standardized testing wouldn't be the most beneficial way of defining a students intelligence. I would explain that there are many factors that come into play when understanding how smart a student is but schools solely rely on testing that is not always the most accurate. Some students get very nervous when taking this types of tests and do bad because of that. Another way I would teach this lesson is to show them that often times when taking a test, students focus only on memorizing the information instead of really understanding the lesson. They may get a 100% on the test but does that know whether or not they understood what they were taught? 
Things I would need to take into consideration when teaching a lesson like this is that my students might not understand why I'm telling them the opposite of what they have been taught all throughout their school years. It is difficult for young students to understand a concept like this because this is what they have been use to. Students are conforming to ways they are not even aware of. Freire explains this is his reading when he states, "The more completely they accept the passive role imposed on them, the more they tend simply to adapt to the world as it is and to the fragmented view of reality deposited on them." I would explain this by telling the students to not feel unaccomplished when they receive a low score on a standardized test. Teachers don't stress this enough to their students and I think it is a topic that needs to be taught and thoroughly explained. Ohanian described it in his reading perfectly, "Different children require different methods, different materials." DiGiulo also expressed a very important point in his reading that I think relates to this topic of standardized testing. Teachers are being assigned tasks that take away from the issues they should really be covering in their classes. This is not to say that standardized testing is completely wrong but students knowledge shouldn't be based off of it. The teacher should be working with her students to understand what they know and still need help on. They shouldn't be giving out these tests that sometimes do not even relate to what is being taught in class.

BlogPostIt

I believe it is important for teachers to realize they can also learn from their students. This allows students to want to share information they know with their teachers and sometimes this can be new to the teachers and something they did not know. This is a concept I never really thought of until reading this chapter. In school, students are always the ones being taught and feel like they can't voice their opinion or share information with the teacher in fear that they won't be listened to. It's not that it is always this way but I can say I have felt like this in a lot of my classes throughout my educational career. When students feel comfortable and know their teacher and classmates will hear out their opinion when speaking in class, they are more open to contributing to conversations. School should not be focused entirely on the teachers but more on the students. Making sure the students feel important creates a stronger teacher-student relationship. The student looks to the teacher for guidance but the teacher also looks to the student for guidance as well. It creates an open classroom environment. Speaking from a student perspective, I would enjoy and benefit from the type of classroom setting.

BlogPost 5

In schools I have attended, I have noticed how students who identified as a different gender were treated differently. People looked at them as if they weren't even human. I feel bad now for doing so but I kind of looked past these issues because they never affected me personally but now looking back, these students deserved to be stood up for. Why is being heterosexual OK and "normal" but being homosexual is not? Society creates these views as Rofes talked about in his reading. We often times don't even know how these students are affected by the negativity they receive on a daily basis. People look at those who are gay as being rebellious because they are gender-nonconforming. Rofes discusses childhood as sometimes being a sad time. We often blame certain people for making our childhood a negative experience because of the way they treated us and the hardships we went through. There are not enough institutions out there to help children who are in desperate need of someone to go to for guidance to get them through personal issues. I believe gender issues are never going to end unless they be seriously addressed. Too many times these students are being ignored and looked at as if their problem is insignificant. School officials want to deny that this type of behavior goes on in their schools in fear it will give the school a bad name. Is this fair to the students who are bullied everyday and no one will put an end to it? This itself is a reason why students are rebelling. They are not being heard. My vision for the school I hope to be teaching at in the next four years is that they will not ignore these problems. They will do something about them and will be there for their students. The students should be able to go to teachers and other officials at their school and know they are there for them and that they will help them. By not addressing the problem, bigger problems are created. The stereotypes need to be stopped. School should always be seen as a safe place where students can be who they truly are. They shouldn't have to hide that person in fear of not being accepted. I hope to create an environment in my school where everyone is treated equally no matter what race, gender, or ethnicity they are.

FieldBlogPost-Mayfield Middle School

During my visit at Mayfield Middle School, I observed a lot for the short time I was there. The school was really big compared to my K-8 grade school. It had a very open floor plan and was kept exceptionally clean. When my classmates and I walked in, the staff was friendly and welcoming to us. They helped us find what type of classroom we would be interested in and let us sit in on that class during our visit. First, I was able to walk into a Digital Communications class where the children were working on an I AM poem. They were all working independently and helped one another out if they were having a problem on their computer. The teachers were very involved in their classrooms. They were always walking around the room, making sure there students stayed on track and understood the assignment. I also noticed there was a mutual respect between the teacher and most of the students which is very important. The school offered a variety of classes. The classrooms I was able to observe were colorful and well decorated but not to the point where it would be distracting to the students and their learning. The second class I was able to sit in on was an eighth grade language arts class. The class I saw for the first five minutes I was there was quiet and well behaved. When the students switched classes and another eighth grade class entered the room, I noticed they were going to be much louder just by the way they approached the classroom. They were assigned to read for the first fifteen minutes of class. Many of them were unable to concentrate and did little to no reading. They were allowed to read a book of their choice. I observed that even when respect from the teacher is given to their students, there will still be children who give you a hard time. I also noticed how having new visitors in the classroom can change how the students act. 

Blog Post 4

Lisa Delpit's quote, "[Teachers] should recognize that the linguistic form a student brings to school is intimately connected with loved one’s community, and personal identity. To suggest that this form is “wrong” or, even worse, ignorant, is to suggest that something is wrong with the student and his or her family", is very accurate in our world today. Children are often made to feel like their culture isn't accepted. It may be OK for them to speak their native language at home but they shouldn't speak that way in the classroom because it will cause them to not read as well as other students who speak English. It explains how often times teachers will think the language a student speaks at home is a problem and will make it more difficult for the child to learn in an environment where this language is not spoken. This is not true. We do not need to conform our students to the way we see fit because that is not always the right way. As some teachers did in the reading, it's important to somehow fit this child's culture into their learning. This shows that the way they are accustomed to speaking at home is not wrong and also allows other students to learn from them. It adds diversity to the classroom and create a workplace where students are more comfortable and proud of who they are. 

Blog Post 3

T-Chart

Interpretations: Many people were sitting in large groups with their friends.

Some were talking to one another and others weren't. They might have just been enjoying one anothers company.

Some people were sitting alone because maybe their friends schedules differed from theirs.

The cafeteria seemed to clear out all at once because people might have had afternoon classes to attend while others who were still there could have been done with class for the day.

I noticed a lot of injuries that looked like they were sports related.

A lot of people were carrying their book bags with them so I assumed they had just come from class or were heading to a class after lunch.

Noon was a very busy time in the cafeteria because this was a time many of the students were free in-between classes.

Descriptions: 
Many students were wearing John Carroll apparel. 
Everyone was in the cafeteria to eat.
Some were using this time as a study session or a place to meet with friends to do group work because of what they were talking about.
Based on the conversations I heard, some were helping one another with homework.

Parking Lot:
The people who were sitting by themselves had no one to eat with.
People who take a lot of food and don't think about the hungry people behind them.
Someone could've been having a bad day and was disrespectful to the cafeteria workers because of it.

During this experience, I learned not to judge people so quickly but to try and interpret them and what they were doing. It helped me realize there is so much more to people than what we see when we first look at them. We often judge people so quickly based off of things such as what they are wearing and who they are hanging around with. I think it's so wrong to do that because you are missing out on who they really are. I know I am guilty of judging a person immediately after I see them without even knowing them at all. You make yourself not want to get to know people solely based off of what you see when you look at someone and it really is crazy to think about. It makes you wonder about all the people who have looked at you and gotten the wrong first impression and didn't even want to give you a chance. This made me want to work on changing the way I look at people. When you look closely, you start to see them for who they truly are. You no longer have some false judgment about them but begin to wonder about them and what they are like. There is so much more to people than what we see on the outside and I think this is so important to realize.

Blog Post 2

I believe Lisa Delpit's quote, "We do not really see with our eyes or hear through our ears, but through our beliefs" is very true. Often times people only see what they want or do not want to see and this blocks them from reality and what is actually there. Little kids do not think this way and this is why their imaginations are so much greater than adults. You may not even realize that this is happening because this is the way you've been accustomed to seeing things for so long. As you get older, you set boundaries and form your own opinions. Little kids have a much different way of thinking and approaching situations. They really observe everything and see it for what it truly is. Bill Ayer's describes this well in his book. He explains how the teacher was surprised at all the different groups the little kids could split the colored rocks into. Many of them were ways the teacher would never have thought of on her own. It shows how our perception really changes and we often times don't have the imaginations we use to have when we were younger. I think it is definitely possible to work on the way you see the world. It's important to expand your ways of thinking and let go of the walls you've set up for yourself. Once you allow yourself to do so, you will see the world in a way you have never seen it before.

Class Survey

1. I prefer to  be called Natalie or Nat.
2. My hometown is Mentor, Ohio. 

3. I would like to teach either 2nd or 3rd grade.

4. I love traveling although I have not gone as many places as I would like yet. My favorite place I have visited so far would be Colorado. I enjoy bike riding, hiking, painting, and photography. I work at an ice cream shop near my house during the summers. During this semester, I plan to get involved with service and join clubs but I am not sure which ones yet.

5. 

Life's Struggles

Life contains a good number of ups and downs. Throughout the course of my life, there have been many times when friends have come to me crying seeking consolation. In those cases, I find myself in an awkward position because I’m not very good at cheering people up other than myself. I believe that people should take every bad thing that happens to them and learn to overcome it instead of sitting and crying about it. If it’s one thing I believe, it’s that people should learn to be optimistic and see the bright side of things. Thinking negatively, will never get me anywhere. There’s no good resulting from showing sadness. I think crying is a sign of defeat and letting life get the best of you.

In my life, I’ve seen myself having to face many struggles and obstacles put in my path meant to weigh me down. Even though it’s the most logical way of looking at it, that’s not how I see it. These obstacles have been placed in front of me to make me stronger. My parents’ separation wasn’t the easiest thing to live with. I live with my mom, but talk to my dad just about every day and see him fairly often. That’s what I consider to be the bright side. At least, I know my dad and I can see him and talk to him whenever I wish. I believe that there’s a positive side to everything, even to tragedies. It’s the healthiest way to think because absolutely everything happens for a reason.

I’m the type of person that keeps everything to myself no matter what it is. I could be going through the toughest times of my life, but you wouldn’t notice. I tend to cheer myself up and don’t depend on anyone else to be there for me. I find it pointless for someone else to be the one to put you back on your feet. There have been times when it seems like everything is falling apart, but seeing it the way it actually is, it could always be worse. If I’ve lived through harder times before, any other moment would be just the same. There’s no reason to be pessimistic when that’s only going to put me down. Hard times come and go, and they’re just put in front of me to make me stronger and a better person, that’s how I see it.

Reference: Andrea. "Life’s Struggles." This I Believe. N.p., 3 June 2009. Web. 01 Sept. 2015.

This article is significant to me because it explains how life can be really difficult sometimes but it's how you deal with those situations that define you as a person. It can be hard to not let things get to you but staying strong will only benefit you in the end.

6. To help me become comfortable in taking risks in a college classroom, I enjoy working with friends and forming relationships with my classmates so I am less nervous when participating.

7. A formative memory I've had as a student was when I realized I wanted to become a teacher. It was clarified during my high school career because I figured out what age group I wanted to teach and what age group I did not want to teach. I had done volunteer work with younger children and after that experience it became very clear to me that this is what I wanted to do for the rest of my life.

8. Concerns I have with the education field right now would be finding a job after I graduate. In my area at least, it does not seem like there is many open positions so that is definitely something I fear. It does not stop me from wanting to choose education as my career because I'm open to moving somewhere else where there is job opportunities. I'm also concerned that it might be a difficult process to receive my teaching license in a different state and cause me to be limited to jobs only in Ohio.

9. How many years have you been in the education field? Have you taught in different states?